The Frustrations of Modern Life

[TheOstrich]

Having just concluded a prolonged battle with my bank's Fraud Department to:

(a) get my debit cards reinstated after they decided to block my payment for a purchase of a new computer back in mid-June, compounded by ...
(b) they then failing to unblock me from online banking and once that had been rectified ...
(c) subsequently running extra security checks on a transfer I was trying to make to Master O for his birthday, accusing him of coercive control ...
(d) Mrs O's card being rejected by Waitrose yet again (they admitted their terminals had been "playing up all day"), and when I thought that had all been sorted ...
(e) getting text messages to phone the Fraud Department - because they'd apparently forgotten to cancel an automatic alert

... all of which, I reckon, took over 5 hours of phone calls -

- then today I get a strange (but apparently genuine) email from my mobile phone provider about my direct debit, but when I try to log into my on-line account, I get re-directed to set up a new account (because they've recently merged with another provider), which proves impossible because I haven't got a welcoming email from them, and my existing account number is 10 digit not 9 digit so that won't work, so I phone them only to be told that as I wasn't an existing customer of the second company, there was no need for a new account - which beggars the question why direct me down that rabbit-hole in the first place?

I tell you. the World will End not with a Whimper, but an Almighty Great Bang as I self-combust over modern technology.

And then I try to log on here to vent, but it takes me four attempts because there's a sql error caused by a massive overload (211 apparently!) of bots viewing the site ......

[Workingman]

Ha! That's you and me both.

Following my recent laptop problems I now cannot use saved passwords... I have to click one in then comes the pop-up for my Google details and then another for my PIN and Voila... I'm in!

What was once a one click operation is now three,,, but no autofill options. I have tried so many ways to roll-back to the old way but Windows Security will not let me.

Then there are my other saved details.... "We need to verify it is you" fill in this, fill in that, press this... Continue. Err, thanks a lot.

I could understand it if I was using a hotspot or some remote location, but I am not. I am at home; same laptop, kettle and fridge and same router and IP address!

I also got the same SQL overload error.

[JoM]

One I’ve noticed happening more and more lately is when you log into a site and enter your email or username first, password on the next page and then you get told that they’re sending you a code via text to complete the log in.
I know it’s making personal data more secure but it’s so annoying, especially here where we don’t have the best signal so you’re sat twiddling your thumbs until your phone beeps with the promised text.

[JoM]

Your frustration with banks Ossie, we use Barclays and I have the online banking app on my phone. I used to be able to access Barclaycard through that, and also have a separate app for it. Not that we use it much but just for big purchases for the extra peace of mind and it’s paid off as soon as the statement arrives. This was easy to do through online banking.

For some obscure reason you now can’t have a Barclays online banking app and a Barclaycard app on the same device, or even registered to the same phone number and email address, and neither can B/card be accessed any more through the online banking app. If there’s anything that needs paying off I have to go to the Barclaycard website, clicking on log in then opens another window where it invites me to get the app before letting me log in. Log in then takes place over yet another two pages.

John could have the app on his phone but it’s technically not his phone, it’s supplied by work and he’d rather not have our personal banking details on that.

[cromwell]

Sympathies Os.
So annoying when you ring a help line up, especially when it spends the first five minutes trying to get you to go to a website...

[cruiser2]

When I log in to this web site I use my user name and a password.

So farb I have not had any problems.
I am having a problem with my bank.
On 14th July wentto one of the terminals inside and got some moeny out. Butit did not return my debt card. Was told by a member of th staf that it would be found when the
terminal was opened at night. Went in on Wednsday 16th July, but no card. So a new one was oredred.
Waited a wek but it had not arrived. So went to the bank again. Wastold another new card would be sent.

I am still waiting. No post today. Ifit does not arrive on Monday I will go and say I want to speak to the manager. I refuse to carry a large amount of money around with me.
When I wanted some money last week, I had to go though a long set ofsecurity questions before I was able to get the money.

When it works it is good, when it doesn' it is a shambles.

[JoM]

That’s annoying Cruiser.
I went into Barclays years ago to pay some money in and they needed to see my card at the counter, with the faff of the transaction they didn’t hand my card back and I didn’t realise until I came to use it the next day in the Bullring.

Rather than call me and say that they had my card when the staff member realised she still had it, they cancelled it! They had both of our numbers so could easily have called and said that it was behind the counter waiting to be collected.

[Kaz]

One I’ve noticed happening more and more lately is when you log into a site and enter your email or username first, password on the next page and then you get told that they’re sending you a code via text to complete the log in.
I know it’s making personal data more secure but it’s so annoying, especially here where we don’t have the best signal so you’re sat twiddling your thumbs until your phone beeps with the promised text.

This drives me.nuts!!

Sorry you're having these issues Ossie xx

[saundra]

Sigh sigh don't ever try to move house at Tesco and ring them chrises

[Suff]

Ossie that is the pain of modern systems.

I was in Canada, asked to validate an automated transaction on my card. Which I refused. Then, naturally, as I knew, they blocked the card. But I can't just call them because at nearly £2 a minute I can't call the fraud line and wait for 30 minutes because I have set my phone to block charges over £40.

I had to find a web phone service which worked for me there. Sign up with a different card, then call them and spend over an hour "doing the right thing" and getting it all unlocked again.

I have bank accounts with 3 different banks and credit cards with 4 different service providers. For exactly this reason. Mostly they sit there unused but when something like this happens, I am not locked out.

Canada was particularly hard, Nobody, UK wise, was willing to give me more than 10 days roaming package. In the end I had to get a French pre pay sim and add a 1 month package.

I use banking on both the mobile and the web browser and I deliberately keep both active and working, by alternating, so that if I have an issue with one I do not have an issue with the other. It has worked so far. Especially when I have to send my phone back to be replaced or repaired and I get all my apps invalidated and my MFA apps (which I need to use to access these apps), also invalidated and requiring setting up again. One of the reasons I have a backup phone. I've started keeping the MFA on the backup phone which never gives me an issue because I don't use it much. Most of my banking apps are active on both devices which really gives them the hump. At least one refuses and insists I transfer to the new device.

Even those of us who understand exactly what is going on still have pain. For instance my MFA app for work is on my personal phone. When I have to send it back again I'm going to have to get a new token and install it on my backup phone "before" I clear it down and send it back. There is a significant gap in every companies instructions for "backing up" your device before sending it for repair. Nobody talks about the MFA. I will have to invalidate and completely set up again my Microsoft authenticator. So I'll have to go to Paypal, remove MFA, delete it from my Microsoft Authenticator app, then set it up again on my backup phone. Rinse and repeat for every app which uses it. There is zero transfer. I'm seriously considering getting yubikey.

So I emphasise. WM what is your browser? I use edge. The only time I get the stonewalling with stored passwords is when it doesn't like the certificate.